Charging hole lid and magnetic lid lifter apparatus

ABSTRACT

A coal charging hole lid for a coke oven chamber has a plurality of radially arranged grooves in its top surface. A magnet for lifting and seating the lid has a plurality of resiliently biased pins around its periphery that coact with respective grooves in the lid and effect positive rotative action of the lid when it has been reseated in the charging hole.

L. G. TUCKER CHARGING HOLE LID AND MAGNETIC LID LIFTER APPARATUS FiledApril 5, 1971 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Lmwaaa 6T TUCKER 4 H me;

L. G. TUCKER Sept. 5, 1972 CHARGING HOLE LID AND MAGNETIC LID LIFTERAPPARATUS Filed April 5, 1971 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I INVENTOR. l/Nwaao 6T 7ZcK/? San/44 5M United States Patent O U.S. Cl. 202-251 6 Claims ABSTRACTOF THE DISCLOSURE A coal charging hole lid for a coke oven chamber has aplurality of radially arranged grooves in its top surface. A magnet forlifting and seating the lid has a plurality of resiliently biased pinsaround its periphery that coact with respective grooves in the lid andeffect positive rotative action of the lid when it has been reseated inthe charging hole.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to coke ovensand, more particularly, to a lid for a coal charging hole in a coke ovenchamber and a lid handling mechanism for lifting and seating such lid.

One of the problems in regard to operating a lid lifting mechanism on alarry car is the reseating of the lid in the charging hole. It isnecessary to provide apparatus that will effect positive oscillation ofthe lid after it has been reseated in order to minimize leakage of gasesaround the lid.

Usually charging hole lids do not, after some usage, have a planar topsurface due to warpage because of heat. The top surface becomes slightlyconvex. In those installations where magnetic lid lifters are used, theslightly convex surface contour of the lid does not appreciably affectthe magnetic attraction between the lid and the magnet, but it doesaffect and greatly reduce the torque that the magnet exerts on the lidduring the seating-in oscillation. One reason why the torque is reducedis that the effective area of contact between the magnet and the convexsurface of the lid is reduced. Even though the attraction force of themagnet is constant, the requisite amount of torque to accomplisheffective seating-in oscillation of the lid is not available because ofthe small surface area in contact with the magnet.

Several attempts have been made, knowledge of which is available fromthe prior art, to effect positive torque on a warped charging hole lid.One such attempt includes the application of a circular,high-speed-steel cutting band saw blade to the lower surface of themagnet. It was reasoned that the sharp teeth of the saw blade should diginto the lid and provide a positive torque for seating-in. However, sucha saw blade soon becomes dull and, after a short service life, the bladeis no longer effective. The teeth break or are quickly worn down andhave no effect on the lid.

Other apparatus known from the prior art also have not proved to beentirely satisfactory, with the result that charging hole lids areusually improperly seated and leakage of gases by the lids is not anuncommon occurrence.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A charging hole lid has a plurality of radiallyarranged grooves in its surface which coact respectively with aplurality of resiliently biased pins in a lid lifting electromagnet;wherefore, the pins provide torque for oscillating a lid even though itmay be convexly warped.

For a further understanding of the invention and for features andadvantages thereof reference may be made to the following descriptionand the drawings which illusice trate a preferred embodiment ofequipment in accordance with the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a charging hole lid in accordance with theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a view along line IIII of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view along lines IIIIII of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a lifting magnet in accordance with theinvention; and

FIG. 5 is a view along line V-V of FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIG. 1 illustrates in plan view a coal charginghole lid 11 which comprises a circular plate that has a slightlychamfered periphery as at 13, and that has a plurality of radial grooves15 in the top surface of the lid 11. The central portion 17 of the topsurface is not grooved, as may be noticed from FIG. 5, but this centralportion 17 has a cavity 19 therein that is shaped in cross section aboutas shown in FIG. 3. This cavity 19 is so shaped that it cooperates witha manually applied tool when it is desirable or necessary to remove andreplace the charging hole lid 11 in a coke oven coal charging hole.

It is desirable to have a number of grooves 15 in a charging hole lidfor a purpose that will be explained hereinafter. Some number such as 36would be provided in a preferred embodiment of the lid, though more orless grooves may be used as preferred.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate an electromagnet 21 which is in accordance withthe invention and which includes a central core 23 having an axial hole25 therethrough, and a surrounding coil 27 of electrical wire which isconnected to an electrical conduit 29. A cover 31 is fastened to thecentral core 23 in a conventional manner and a cylindrical tubular side33 is secured to the cover in a conventional manner.

The cover 31 is provided with a plurality of studs 35 that are used tosecure the electromagnet to a conventional mounting plate 37 on a larrycar. The cover 31 and the cylindrical tubular side 33 are perforated bya plurality of holes 39; there being two such holes 39 disposed on adiameter of the cover 31.

Each hole 39 has a reentrant threaded bore upper portion 41, and a pin43 having a head 45 is disposed in each hole 39 with the head 45engaging a shoulder 47. A threaded plug 49 is screwed into the threadedupper portion 41 and into engagement with the head 45 of the pin 43. Theplug has a slot 50 in it for easy removal by means of a tool such as ascrewdriver.

From FIG. 5 it is seen that the lower or bottom end 51 of the pin 43 isgenerally conical in shape with a slightly rounded apex. Such conicalshape is complementary to the shape of the grooves 15 of FIG. 2.

It will be noted from FIG. 5 that the cylindrical tubular side 33extends slightly below the bottom of the coil 27 and central core 23 andthat there is a narrow air gap 53 between the bottom of the coil 27 andcore 23 and the charging hole lid 11.

After a coke oven chamber has been charged with coal, the lid liftermagnet contacts a lid and place it back in its respective coal charginghole. The lid magnet then oscillates the lid in order to seat the lidand to prevent the escape of gases from the oven chamber.

However, as mentioned previously, if a conventional lid has becomeconvexly warped due to heat, the magnet will not grip the lid withenough force to oscillate the lid and seat it properly. However, themagnet of the present invention turns about its vertical axis until oneof the pins, acting under the influence of its associated spring, dropsinto a groove. Further turning of the magnet makes it 3 possible foranother, or more than one, pin to drop into a slot or slots. Thereafter,the magnet and pins exert torque on the lid and it oscillates about itsvertical axis until it is properly seated.

Those skilled in the art will note from FIG. 5 that, even though the lidbecomes warped convexly upward, the pins Will continue to coact withtheir respective grooves and exert sufi'icient torque to the warped lidto oscillate it and seat it in the charging hole.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that the lid lifting magnet ofthe present invention is simple and effective and that it provides apositive torque to seat-in the charging hole lid of the invention.

Although the invention has been described herein with a certain degreeof particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has beenmade only as an example and the scope of the invention is defined bywhat is hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. A lid for a charging hole in a coke oven chamber and a lid liftingmechanism comprising:

(a) a planar lid having in one surface thereof a plurality of groovesextending from the center of the surface toward the periphery thereof;

(b) a magnet mounted to an oscillateable mechanism and having aplurality of protrusions on a surface that contact said lid; and

() means for oscillating said mechanism and bringing said protrusionsinto engagement with respective grooves whereby said lid isoscillateable about an axis and is seatable in said charging hole.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

(a) said protrusions include pins having one end projecting below theface of said magnet.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein:

(a) said pins are removably secured in said magnet.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

(a) said lid includes a cavity adapted to receive a tool formanipulating said lid.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

(a) said lid has a chamfered peripheral surface.

6. In a coke oven battery having a coal charging hole, the improved lidfor such hole and lid lifting mechanism comprising:

(a) a planar lid having a chamfered peripheral surface and a pluralityof grooves extending from a central zone of a planar surface portion ofsaid lid toward the peripheral surface;

(b) a magnet mounted to an oscillateable mechanism for movement about avertical axis;

(c) a plurality of pins removably disposed in cavities in said magnetwith the ends of said pins protruding below the bottom surface of saidmagnet; and

(d) means for bringing said magnet into contact with said lid andoscillating said magnet mechanism with said pins engaging said groovesin said lid and thereby oscillating said lid to effect seating-in ofsaid lid.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,335,378 8/1967 Corvino 294-65.5X

3,036,720 5/1962 Malkomes 202-262 X 3,281,880 1/1966 Bender 202--262 UX3,182,838 5/1965 Brandenbusch 202-25'1 UX FOREIGN PATENTS 410,634 3/1925Germany 294-655 NORMAN YUDKOFF, Primary Examiner D. EDWARDS, AssistantExaminer US. Cl. X.R.

